Hop-wire-detaching device.



No. 878,227. PATENTED DEG. I0, 1907 J. A. .GROVBR.

HOP WIRE DETAGHING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 19, 1906.

I '11 v i! THE NORRIS pzrsRs 00., WASHINGTON, v. c.

hooks, so as to allow the cross-wiresand the tion, taken on a line :zc0c of Fig. 1; and Fig.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOEL ALBERT GROVER, OF

WOODLAND, WASHINGTON.

I-IOP-WIRE-DETAOI-IING- DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OEL ALBERT GRovER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Woodland, in the county of Cowlitz, State of Washington, have invented a new and useful Hop-Wire-Detaching Device, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings as constituting apart thereof.

This invention relates to the so-called trellis system of wiring hop yards, such wiring-system consisting in fastening a series of wires lengthwise over the hop field and suspending therefrom, by dependent hooks, a series of cross wires; and my invention has for its object to provide an implement by the use of which the cross-wires may be conveniently detached from their suspending vines thereon, to drop down within convenient reach of the hop-pickers.

I attain my object by the device illustrated in the drawings and comprising a pole having afiixed to its upper end the means which may be operated to lift and disengage a cross-wire from the hook by which it is suspended from a longitudinal wire; the device embodying the features and operating as hereinafter particularly set forth.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device, arranged in oblique position, so as to show a greater portion thereof within the limited drawing-field; Fig. 2 is a section of the operating part of my device, removed from itspole; Fig. 3 is a cross sec- 4 is a perspective detail of the arrangement of certain parts of my device, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Referring now to the reference characters in the drawings: The pole a, of wood, has mounted on its upper end the wire-lifting and detaching devices. These may consist of a tubular shank (1, made with a collar 0, having an interior thread, in which is inserted a socket b, in which the pole a is inserted. On the upper end of such tubular shank is a head 6, made with lateral portions constituting shoulders g,.g, the extremities g of which are made with downward receding curves as shown, for the purpose below described. The head e is further made with an upwardly projecting piece e having a perforation e and right-angle flanges e To the head e, is removably affixed a knife-blade f,

Specification of Letters Patent.

which is provided to out down such bou- Patented Dec. 10, 1907.

Application filed October 19, 1906. Serial No. 339.726.

made with flanged ends h res ectively, and t one into the the two parts are adapted to other. The sleeve h is made with a perforation k to receive a bolt, inserted through all the parts when assembled, and thereby securely fastening the knife-blade in place.

The head 6 may be made detachable, as

' shown in Fig. 2, if preferred, so as to simplify the manufacture of my device, although I deem it just as simple if such head e be made an integral part of the tubular shank b. When the head is made detachable, the shank I) is provided with a threaded socket t, and the head 6 with a threaded stud 6 The head e is further provided with transversely projecting fingers i, t, which are integral parts of the sleeve h. Straddling the shank (Z, is pivoted, by a pin (1, a forked lever is, the end k of which is connected by links 1), p, with a sleeve or tubular-lifter 1", having a flaring upper end or mouth 1"; the latter being adapted to allow such lifter to be moved. part way up on the head c, as shown in Fig. 1. To connect the links p with the lifter r, the base of the latter is'made with hin eknuckles q. Straddling the lower end of t e pole a, is pivoted, by a pin 0, a lever n, connected by a rod m, to the end 10* of the lever 7c. On the shank d, within the tubular lifter 1', is arranged a coil-spring s, the lower end of which bears on the interior of the base of the lifter, and the upper end thereof bearing against an'abutment for that purpose provided on the shank d, which, as the constructi on is illustrated in my drawings, consists of the collar t. The head e is made with an opening c to receive the upper end of the hook at, as shown in Fig.4.

The operation of my device is as follows: Let Z, represent one of the main or longitudinal wires of the hop-yard, and Z one of the cross-wires suspended from the former by hooks u. My device will be held under a hook u, in such position that one of the fingers i of the head e will project over and engage with a main 'wire Z, and that the mouth of the lifter 1", will be immediately under a hook u, approximately as shown in Fig. 2. By now depressing the lever n, the cooperating devices will be caused to raise the litter r, during which action the hook u, will enter the mouth of the lifter. And continuing the described action of my device the lifter 1*, will finally lift the cross-wire Z out of the lower end of the hook u, because such lower end will be engaged, and moved inward by the contact of the mouth of the lifter therewith, while the curved-portion g of the head (1 will cooperate with the rim of the lifter to force the cross-wire out of the opening of the lower end of the hook it and cause such cross-wire to clear my implement and drop down. On releasing the lever a, the spring 8, will. operate to return the parts to their normal position.

When engaging the main wire with one of the fingers i, of the head (a, care must be taken to so manipulate the implement as to cause the upper-end of the hook at to enter the opening 6 in the head, so that in raising the litter the hook at will pivot on the main wire and the lower end thereof be moved outward by contact of the cross-wire with the edge 9 of the head as above desr-ribed.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a shank, a head. on the upper end thereof, the upper part of which head is provided with laterally projecting shoulders and the portions below the shoul ders receding downward, said head also having a central aperture, lingers as t projecting transversely from the sides of the head, a springcontrolled sleeve-like lifter having a flaring mouth adapted to be raised over the base of the head, said lifter being normally below said head, and lever-like means whereby to raise the lifter.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pole, a tubular shank mounted thereon, a head. on the end of the shank, the upper part of which head is provided with laterally projecting shoulders and the portions below the shoulders receding downward, said head also having a central aperture, fingers as t projecting transversely from the sides of the head, a sleeve-like litter having a flaring mouth adapted to be raised over the base of the head, interior shoulders at the base of the lifter, a collar on the shank at the upper end of the lifter, a coil-spring seated between said shoulder and collar to normally hold the litter down, a forked lever l r l l l l l l 1 pivoted on the shank, one end thereof connected to the lifter, a forked handle pivoted on the pole, a rod connecting said lever and handle; the parts being so arranged that depressing the handle will raise the lifter.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a pole, a tubular shank mounted thereon, a head on the upper end of the shank, the upper part of which head is provided with laterally projecting shoulders and the portions below the shoulders receding downward, said head also having acentral aperture, fingers as i projecting transversely from the sides of the head, a sleeve-like lil'ler having a flaring mouth adapted to be raised over the base of the head, interior shoulders at the base of the litter, a collar on the shank at the upper end of the litter, a coil-spring seated between said shoulder and collar to normally hold the litter down, a torked lever pivoted on the shank, one end thereof connected to the lifter, a forked handle pivoted on the pole, a rod connecting said lever and handle; the parts being so arranged that depressing the handle will raise the litter, and said head being also provided with a knife, for the purpose described.

4. A device 01 the character descrilwd, comprising a pole, a tubular shank mounted thereon, a head on the upper end of the shank, the upper part ol which head is provided with laterally projecting shoulders and the portions below the shoulders receding downward, said head also having a central aperture, lingers as i projecting transversely from the sides 01 the head, a sleeve-like lifter having a llaring mouth adapted to be raised over the base of the head, interior shoulders at thebase ol thelifter, a collaron the shank at the upper end of the litter, a coil-spring seated between said shoulder and collar to normally hold the lifter down, a lorked lever pivoted on the shank, one end thereof connected to the litter, a forked handle pivoted on the pole, rod. connecting said lever and handle: the parts being so arranged. that depressing the handle will raise the litter, and said head being also provided with a socket for the purpose of receiving a knife.

JOEL AIJBER'I GROVER.

\Vitnesses Z. J. Gmsiinn, A. D. GERKING. 

